The Cavalier Songs and Ballads of England from 1642 to 1684

The anthology gathers a vivid chorus of songs and ballads that rang through England from the early days of the Civil War to the Restoration. Crafted by a mix of courtly wits and humble country singers, these verses were the mass‑media of their time, spreading loyalty, satire and encouragement in a world where printed pamphlets and sermons held sway for only a privileged few. Listeners can hear how the Cavalier voice raised morale, mocked Puritan zeal and celebrated the pleasures of love, wine and battlefield daring.

Originally printed on cheap broadsides and sold for a half‑penny at fairs, the pieces were pasted on cupboard doors, trunks and kitchen walls, becoming part of everyday conversation. The collection preserves the raw, often raucous language of a people caught in a struggle for liberty, giving modern ears a direct line to the hopes, humor and hardships that animated 17th‑century English life.